Post by awsomsinger on Sept 11, 2024 21:02:14 GMT -5
THE NEXT DAY - TEXAS STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION OFFICES.....
The scene is set in a conference room with the Texas State Athletic Commission (TSAC) seated on one side, and Blackjack Mulligan flanked by Wolf and Tessa Blanchard on the other. Tension lingers in the air. The commission members are dressed in formal suits, while Blackjack, ever defiant, wears his usual cowboy hat and boots, looking like a man who won’t bow easily to authority.
The TSAC Meeting Begins:
Commission Head:
"Mr. Mulligan, we have some pressing concerns. First and foremost, your champion—Wolf—his name alone raises eyebrows. This is professional fighting, not some outlaw backstreet brawl."
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Wolf earned that title fair and square. A name’s a name, and what matters is how you fight in that ring. If you’ve got a problem with his name, maybe it’s 'cause you haven’t seen him in action."
Wolf:
"What don't you like about my name, Mr. Commissioner? Come here and tell me......please! And while you're at it, stop staring at Tessa's chest. Believe me, I know these things. I can smell your lust and fear over here. I can also smell you wetting your pants."
Commissioner 2 (Clearing his throat as another commissioner leaves the room)
"It’s not just the name, Mr. Mulligan. You’ve had five draws out of 40 matches. That’s unheard of, and not in a good way. The sport thrives on decisive outcomes, not constant uncertainty."
Tessa Blanchard:
"Those draws happened because we let the fighters push themselves to the limit. The crowd loves it, the ratings prove it."
Commissioner 3 (leans forward):
"About those ratings. TXFL has never dropped below a 4.0? We’re having a hard time believing that’s legitimate. There’s chatter that you’re inflating the numbers to make the league seem more popular than it is."
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Chatter’s all it is. The people in the seats don’t lie, and neither do the numbers. Just 'cause your standards are low doesn’t mean mine are."
Commission Head (scoffing):
"And then there’s your choice of venue—Billy Bob’s Texas. A honky-tonk bar, really? This is supposed to be a professional league, not some rowdy gathering of brawlers."
Blackjack leans forward, voice lowering with a dangerous edge.
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Billy Bob’s is a symbol of Texas. It’s where folks go to settle things the right way. If you think that makes us less professional, maybe you’re too caught up in your city-slicker image of what fighting’s supposed to be."
The commissioners exchange glances. It's clear there’s more going on behind the scenes.
Who's Pulling the Strings?
Blackjack knows the TSAC’s newfound scrutiny isn’t just their own doing. Rumors have been swirling that a rival promotion, likely the Lone Star Fight Federation (LSFF), has been pulling strings behind the scenes. The LSFF has more corporate backing, and some of its influence reaches into the commission itself. The TSAC isn’t acting on its own—there’s pressure from wealthy, influential individuals who don’t like how quickly TXFL has grown or how it’s capturing the hearts of the public.
One name that keeps coming up in whispers is Calvin Fordsworth, a wealthy oilman with a major stake in the LSFF. He’s known for his dislike of Blackjack’s rough-and-tumble style and has the money to manipulate things from the shadows.
Blackjack’s Next Move:
Blackjack isn’t going to roll over, and he knows that going head-to-head with the TSAC is just one front of the battle. After the meeting, he gathers Wolf and Tessa.
Blackjack Mulligan (to Wolf and Tessa):
"They’re comin’ after us, but we ain’t backin’ down. We’re gonna double down on what makes TXFL different—hard fights, real competition, and none of this corporate nonsense. If Calvin Fordsworth and the LSFF think they can buy us out, they’re in for a rude awakening."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LATER ON THAT DAY.........
TXFL THIS WEEK
GENE OKERLUND:
Coming off the heels of Summer Storm is a very action packed and intense TXFL This Week. As always, I'm Mean Gene Okerlund bringing you all the happenings here in the Texas Fight League......
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN (WALKING IN UNEXPECTEDLY WITH WOLF AND TESSA BLANCHARD)
Gene, I'm going to ask you to forgive me for doing this, but we're throwing out the format for this week. I've had to attend a meeting at the Texas State Athletic Commission with Wolf and Tessa, and I've got some changes to make and some things to get off my chest, OK?
GENE OKERLUND:
Sure, Blackjack, the floor is yours
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN:
Thanks Gene. First of all I want to congratulate Wolf and Tessa Blanchard on their championship wins this weekend, and also congratulate Bloody Marry McDonnell and Bad News Allen on the effort they put in. Bloody Marry also deserves recognition as our first Women's champion as well, and I know both of them will be back to try and challenge for the titles again.
But that's not why I'm here today. Right after Summer Storm ended I was handed a certified letter from the Texas State Athletic Commission for a "special emergency meeting" this morning. So I asked Wolf and Tessa to come with me and I thank them for doing so. Now beyond all these commissioners, and I use that term loosely, trying to ogle Tessa's assets (drawing a slight eye roll from Tessa).....sorry Tessa, it's true (Tessa pats Blackjack's shoulder)....... and wetting their pants at the sight of Wolf, they decided to take shots at the Texas Fight League. Stuff like....we have too many draws. Well HELL, even at 2 AM at the Rock Inn, sometimes men were so exhausted settling their differences that they both collapsed at the end of the fight. It's not totally abnormal when you think about it.
Next, they attacked us over our ratings. Do you know according to the TV ratings gurus we averaged a 4.6 share for the first four weeks, and a 4.9 for Championship Week? We didn't BUY that, we didn't RIG anything to achieve that, we brought in the stars, we put together the fights, and you, the great TXFL fans, responded. Seems to me we're putting together some pretty good fights and the fighters are responding in kind.
After that, they had a problem with us hosting fights in Billy Bob's Texas. Now any Texan knows that Billy Bob's IS Texas, every bit of it. It's just the right size, not too big, not too small, and the fans can get close to the fighters and in some cases, get a handshake or a high five if they're lucky. That ain't gonna change whether they, or anybody else, likes it or not.
But then they got a little personal and went after the livelihood of me, all the coalition members, and my fighters, and threatened to revoke our license. So we've decided to make some changes for Block 2 that I believe will make everyone happy.
First of all, matches will be 20 minutes instead of 15 minutes. If there is no winner at the end of 20 minutes then it will go to a panel of judges selected at random from the fans in attendance that night. Title matches will be 30 minutes with the same stipulation.
Second, I am bringing in some name referees whom I am negotiating with at this very minute. I will announce then in a press release later this week.
There will be NO more compromise whether the TSAC likes it or not. Wolf and Tessa are your champions until they are defeated. That's all for TXFL This Week, and we will see you for the beginning of Block 2 this weekend. So long from Texas!
The scene is set in a conference room with the Texas State Athletic Commission (TSAC) seated on one side, and Blackjack Mulligan flanked by Wolf and Tessa Blanchard on the other. Tension lingers in the air. The commission members are dressed in formal suits, while Blackjack, ever defiant, wears his usual cowboy hat and boots, looking like a man who won’t bow easily to authority.
The TSAC Meeting Begins:
Commission Head:
"Mr. Mulligan, we have some pressing concerns. First and foremost, your champion—Wolf—his name alone raises eyebrows. This is professional fighting, not some outlaw backstreet brawl."
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Wolf earned that title fair and square. A name’s a name, and what matters is how you fight in that ring. If you’ve got a problem with his name, maybe it’s 'cause you haven’t seen him in action."
Wolf:
"What don't you like about my name, Mr. Commissioner? Come here and tell me......please! And while you're at it, stop staring at Tessa's chest. Believe me, I know these things. I can smell your lust and fear over here. I can also smell you wetting your pants."
Commissioner 2 (Clearing his throat as another commissioner leaves the room)
"It’s not just the name, Mr. Mulligan. You’ve had five draws out of 40 matches. That’s unheard of, and not in a good way. The sport thrives on decisive outcomes, not constant uncertainty."
Tessa Blanchard:
"Those draws happened because we let the fighters push themselves to the limit. The crowd loves it, the ratings prove it."
Commissioner 3 (leans forward):
"About those ratings. TXFL has never dropped below a 4.0? We’re having a hard time believing that’s legitimate. There’s chatter that you’re inflating the numbers to make the league seem more popular than it is."
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Chatter’s all it is. The people in the seats don’t lie, and neither do the numbers. Just 'cause your standards are low doesn’t mean mine are."
Commission Head (scoffing):
"And then there’s your choice of venue—Billy Bob’s Texas. A honky-tonk bar, really? This is supposed to be a professional league, not some rowdy gathering of brawlers."
Blackjack leans forward, voice lowering with a dangerous edge.
Blackjack Mulligan:
"Billy Bob’s is a symbol of Texas. It’s where folks go to settle things the right way. If you think that makes us less professional, maybe you’re too caught up in your city-slicker image of what fighting’s supposed to be."
The commissioners exchange glances. It's clear there’s more going on behind the scenes.
Who's Pulling the Strings?
Blackjack knows the TSAC’s newfound scrutiny isn’t just their own doing. Rumors have been swirling that a rival promotion, likely the Lone Star Fight Federation (LSFF), has been pulling strings behind the scenes. The LSFF has more corporate backing, and some of its influence reaches into the commission itself. The TSAC isn’t acting on its own—there’s pressure from wealthy, influential individuals who don’t like how quickly TXFL has grown or how it’s capturing the hearts of the public.
One name that keeps coming up in whispers is Calvin Fordsworth, a wealthy oilman with a major stake in the LSFF. He’s known for his dislike of Blackjack’s rough-and-tumble style and has the money to manipulate things from the shadows.
Blackjack’s Next Move:
Blackjack isn’t going to roll over, and he knows that going head-to-head with the TSAC is just one front of the battle. After the meeting, he gathers Wolf and Tessa.
Blackjack Mulligan (to Wolf and Tessa):
"They’re comin’ after us, but we ain’t backin’ down. We’re gonna double down on what makes TXFL different—hard fights, real competition, and none of this corporate nonsense. If Calvin Fordsworth and the LSFF think they can buy us out, they’re in for a rude awakening."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LATER ON THAT DAY.........
TXFL THIS WEEK
GENE OKERLUND:
Coming off the heels of Summer Storm is a very action packed and intense TXFL This Week. As always, I'm Mean Gene Okerlund bringing you all the happenings here in the Texas Fight League......
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN (WALKING IN UNEXPECTEDLY WITH WOLF AND TESSA BLANCHARD)
Gene, I'm going to ask you to forgive me for doing this, but we're throwing out the format for this week. I've had to attend a meeting at the Texas State Athletic Commission with Wolf and Tessa, and I've got some changes to make and some things to get off my chest, OK?
GENE OKERLUND:
Sure, Blackjack, the floor is yours
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN:
Thanks Gene. First of all I want to congratulate Wolf and Tessa Blanchard on their championship wins this weekend, and also congratulate Bloody Marry McDonnell and Bad News Allen on the effort they put in. Bloody Marry also deserves recognition as our first Women's champion as well, and I know both of them will be back to try and challenge for the titles again.
But that's not why I'm here today. Right after Summer Storm ended I was handed a certified letter from the Texas State Athletic Commission for a "special emergency meeting" this morning. So I asked Wolf and Tessa to come with me and I thank them for doing so. Now beyond all these commissioners, and I use that term loosely, trying to ogle Tessa's assets (drawing a slight eye roll from Tessa).....sorry Tessa, it's true (Tessa pats Blackjack's shoulder)....... and wetting their pants at the sight of Wolf, they decided to take shots at the Texas Fight League. Stuff like....we have too many draws. Well HELL, even at 2 AM at the Rock Inn, sometimes men were so exhausted settling their differences that they both collapsed at the end of the fight. It's not totally abnormal when you think about it.
Next, they attacked us over our ratings. Do you know according to the TV ratings gurus we averaged a 4.6 share for the first four weeks, and a 4.9 for Championship Week? We didn't BUY that, we didn't RIG anything to achieve that, we brought in the stars, we put together the fights, and you, the great TXFL fans, responded. Seems to me we're putting together some pretty good fights and the fighters are responding in kind.
After that, they had a problem with us hosting fights in Billy Bob's Texas. Now any Texan knows that Billy Bob's IS Texas, every bit of it. It's just the right size, not too big, not too small, and the fans can get close to the fighters and in some cases, get a handshake or a high five if they're lucky. That ain't gonna change whether they, or anybody else, likes it or not.
But then they got a little personal and went after the livelihood of me, all the coalition members, and my fighters, and threatened to revoke our license. So we've decided to make some changes for Block 2 that I believe will make everyone happy.
First of all, matches will be 20 minutes instead of 15 minutes. If there is no winner at the end of 20 minutes then it will go to a panel of judges selected at random from the fans in attendance that night. Title matches will be 30 minutes with the same stipulation.
Second, I am bringing in some name referees whom I am negotiating with at this very minute. I will announce then in a press release later this week.
There will be NO more compromise whether the TSAC likes it or not. Wolf and Tessa are your champions until they are defeated. That's all for TXFL This Week, and we will see you for the beginning of Block 2 this weekend. So long from Texas!